Top 10 Most Powerful Sith Lords from Star Wars
The Sith Lords of Star Wars are some of the most iconic and feared characters in the entire galaxy. Their mastery of the dark side, ruthless ambition, and unforgettable battles with the Jedi make them endlessly fascinating to fans. From ancient Sith legends to the more well-known figures like Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, the Sith have always wielded immense power and shaped the fate of the galaxy.Each Sith brings something different to the table, and your vote will help highlight those that truly left their dark legacy on the galaxy. Will the ancient Sith sorcerers from the days of old outshine the newer, more recognizable names from the movies? Or do you think the modern villains take the crown?
Darth Sidious brought the Jedi Order to the brink of extinction. He was arguably the most powerful Force user of Darth Bane's Rule of Two, excluding Bane himself. He brought the Sith out of hiding and formed the Galactic Empire, a Sith-controlled puppet state. He accomplished all of this with minimal effort, having his apprentices do all the dirty work for him. When engaged in combat, he was overwhelming, except during the fight with Mace Windu, where he showed vulnerability to sway Anakin to his side.
He is the most intelligent Sith Lord, bar none. The only Sith lord in his class is Darth Bane. You could say Sidious is Bane's creation through his Rule of Two. Darth Sidious is the culmination of a thousand years of Sith philosophy and teachings.
The Jedi turned Sith, then neutral. This man, no, this God of Destruction, was defeated only through the cowardly betrayal of a Sith named Scourge, a coward out only to save his own life. He brought the Emperor to his knees before betrayal destroyed him. He was all-consuming, calling upon the Light, as well as the Dark, in a way of Gray. He fed his power of the Dark Side with the emotions of the Light Side - compassion, loyalty, and love - so as to create power never before used or known.
Unlike the Emperor, who stole his power and immortality from a world and thus had power that was not truly his, Revan CREATED his power from himself. He himself was powerful enough to destroy the power of the world forced into one man, only to be brought down by a traitor.
Revan influenced Bane, who is also incredibly powerful, in the Rule of Two. Revan was the Savior and the Scourge of the galaxy. The galaxy is saved or destroyed by his whim.
Vitiate killed his father with just a thought and then slowly tortured his mother through the Force. His eyes were pure black! He absorbed a planet's energy and thereby made himself immortal. He basically destroyed a planet just with his powers of the Force.
He also imprisoned not only 12 of the most powerful Sith Lords of their time in their minds, but he did it all at the same time. Meanwhile, he imprisoned two of the most powerful Jedi just by thinking (Revan and Malak). He can take the body of others and use them for himself.
Also, when he decided that he was bored with controlling the two most powerful Jedi ever, he just killed them both with one Force blast. He took over the galaxy and ruled it for over 5,000 years. If you're thinking of voting for Revan, then think again because Vitiate killed him with only one powerful Force blast, in which he wasn't even making an effort. He killed Malak too, so don't vote for him either.
So, to recap, don't just vote for people who you know, as they probably aren't the most powerful. For example, Palpatine, Vader. And if you want to think about true POWER, then you have to think WAY back and not just at the films you've seen. Thanks for reading, guys, and remember... VOTE VITIATE!
Bane was far more influential in the grand scheme of things than many of the other Sith mentioned. He was never a Jedi either, which should put him ahead in terms of purity. While some may have been stronger with the Force, better with a lightsaber, or smarter/more cunning, no one was stronger with all of these characteristics combined.
He could, therefore, use other aspects of his power against those who were stronger in one aspect. He completely revolutionized the Sith (albeit with Revan's ideologies), and (SPOILERS!) he may not have actually died at the hands of his apprentice as many believe he did.
The thing with Darth Nihilus, by comparison to other Sith Lords, is that he's a Force vampire. They devour the Force, and with each foe defeated and each power used against him, he became stronger. No matter who he faced, he would always be destined to win. The only reason he was ever able to be defeated was because Visas had a Force bond and Meetra is another Force vampire, although much less skilled at absorbing the Force. Even Darth Vitiate should fear one such as he, since Vitiate's incredible power with the Force becomes basically useless any time they're even thinking about one another.
The fact that a powerful Force vampire like him was even able to be defeated was purely a matter of circumstance and knowing manipulation from Kreia, and were he to live much longer, the entire galaxy would've been at his fingertips should he wish it.
First of all, if they aren't canon, then they're out. That currently leaves 6 in the running: Bane, Plagueis, Sidious, Maul, Tyranus, and Vader. Now reorder them by importance to the plot, and you'll find that Vader lands preeminent. Vader is arguably the most recognizable villain in cinema, let alone from this franchise, contributing to its early success while the Emperor wasn't even a main character until Return of the Jedi.
Now imagine a hypothetical situation where each of the canonical Sith broke the bounds of time to be pitted against one another. You can bet your bottom dollar that George Lucas would have Vader as the last man standing, and that's how I came to my conclusion.
Did you ever hear the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise? I thought not. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. It's a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midichlorians to create life.
He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying. The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural. He became so powerful... the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did.
Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. It's ironic he could save others from death, but not himself.
He is portrayed as a highly powerful and ambitious Sith Lord who lived around 5,000 years before the events of the original Star Wars trilogy. Exar Kun was known for his mastery of the dark side of the Force and his thirst for power. In terms of his power level, Exar Kun was considered one of the most formidable Sith Lords of his time.
He possessed exceptional skill in lightsaber combat and was highly proficient in various Force techniques, including telekinesis, Sith sorcery, and Force lightning. He also delved deeply into forbidden knowledge and ancient Sith teachings, further enhancing his abilities.
He was equal to training programs that perfectly imitate Sidious, Obi-Wan, and Yoda's combat abilities during his training. Galen was able to bring down a Star Destroyer through his unbelievable potency with the mystical power. Vader and Sidious themselves openly considered him to be at least their equal in the Force.
Even though in the latter stages of his career, Galen opposed the Empire, he was extremely proficient in the use of Force Lightning. Marek's story is the tale of the first sparks of hope for the galaxy's future being born. His struggles, skills, the tests he passed, the pain he suffered at the hands of Sidious and Vader, and finally, his death is what created the faction, which later helped Luke, Obi-Wan, and Yoda to destroy the Empire.
Darth Traya was by far the most intelligent and insightful Sith Lord in all of history. I can see how Revan and Vader top the list, but you have to give credit to Traya. She was so insightful of the Force and the future that she went blind from it.
By far, Traya, although maybe not the most powerful Sith Lord, was the most intelligent Sith Lord with a powerful insight into the Force that no other Sith Lord could possibly compare to.
And she foresaw Boba Fett's death by the hands of Mace Windu, 4,000 years into the future! Come on! You know that is legitimate if you can see that far.
The Newcomers
If Rey became Empress Rey, she would make a whole new empire, and she, along with Kylo Ren, would control and rule the galaxy.
But it might not work well. If we're talking about legends, Darth Caedus rules and controls the galaxy, slaying many people. Rey and Kylo would have to try to take him down or capture him.
Kylo would also use Rey for his gain and toy with her. Then, the two would try to kill Palpatine, and after his death, they would most likely have a baby and teach it the ways of the dark side.
Empress Rey would unleash the Final Order on the rest of the galaxy, rebuild the Empire more powerful than ever before, and spread her armies to the outer reaches of the galaxy.
Eventually, she'd have a child or an apprentice and repeat the process, goading her daughter or son to kill her and take her place.
Jar Jar is truly the most powerful Sith Lord here. Without him, nothing in the movies would have happened. He's been puppeteering everything from behind the stage the entire time.
Darth Maul is the most epic character that first came to Star Wars. As well as looking really cool, he is one of the best duelists in the galaxy. Sadly, he was defeated very early on by Obi-Wan Kenobi. But he somehow survived his injury and started to become a powerful Sith Lord. He took over Mandalore with a group known as Death Watch, which is now his personal army.
He also trained an apprentice known as Savage Opress, who took on Darth Tyranus and Asajj Ventress at the same time. Darth Maul actually escaped Darth Sidious when captured and lived on to the age of the Empire where he killed the Inquisitors and still lives on. No one knows what happened to him, but you have to admit Darth Maul deserves some credit for surviving that long.
Dooku was one of the most powerful Jedi before he left the Order and learned more about the Dark Side of the Force, becoming even more powerful. He could battle powerful Jedi like Obi-Wan and Anakin by himself regularly and was able to hold them off without breaking a sweat. He only lost to Anakin because he was ordered to by his master.
On top of that, he was very wise, and even Sidious was wary that if he wasn't kept in check, he could, with the help of his apprentice, overthrow him, which is up to speculation. Either way, Dooku was very powerful as both Sith and Jedi and should be ranked higher up as well.
One of Darth Malgus's most notable feats was leading the Sith assault on Alderaan during the Great Galactic War. Despite facing strong resistance from the Republic and the Jedi, Malgus orchestrated a devastating attack that resulted in the capture and occupation of Alderaan, a significant blow to the Republic.
Malgus played a crucial role in the Sacking of Coruscant, a major event during the Great Galactic War where the Sith Empire launched a surprise attack on the Republic's capital. Malgus led the ground assault, infiltrating the Jedi Temple and causing widespread destruction, symbolizing the Empire's resurgence and striking fear into the heart of the Republic.
In addition to his military prowess, Malgus also wielded significant political influence within the Sith Empire. He played a role in shaping Imperial policies and decision-making, often advocating for aggressive expansion and the eradication of the Republic and the Jedi.
Sion is an extremely powerful Sith Lord who can use the dark side to maintain his body and keep himself alive. If he is killed, Sion draws on his rage and pain to revive himself. He can gain even more power by feeding on the dark side energies of places where it is particularly present.
Indeed, Sion only died because he allowed himself to die. You cannot say anything similar about any other Sith Lord. No matter how many people you kill, lives you create, or planets you dominate, if you are mortal and thus killed by another, you are a lesser Sith Lord than Darth Sion.
He has a scepter called the Scepter of Ragnos, which has the power to infuse a dead body so the person can go back to life. This means Marka Ragnos is the second known Sith Lord in the history of the galaxy who can bring people back from death.
The only ancient Sith who didn't cause their own destruction, but led them to a golden age of strength and glory.
He was the most powerful of the most powerful of the Sith in the ancient Sith Empire. He was able to survive 5000 years as a spirit and nearly return in Jedi Academy. The corruption of his weakened spirit was strong enough to kill Tavion Axmis.
Krayt was skilled in the dark arts of Sith alchemy and healing. He used his knowledge of alchemy to create powerful artifacts, enhance his abilities, and manipulate the physical world to serve his purposes.
Additionally, Krayt could harness the dark side to accelerate his healing and recover from injuries more rapidly than most beings. Through a combination of Sith alchemy, dark side rituals, and sheer willpower, Darth Krayt managed to prolong his life far beyond its natural span. He survived for over a century, defying the effects of aging and maintaining his strength and power well into old age.
This longevity made him a formidable and enduring presence in the galaxy.
I mean, come on, he was an extremely powerful Sith sorcerer. He had his own living meditation sphere controlled by thought, could reshape and reassemble itself to create whatever he needed, and focused Force energy to make him more powerful.
He could even manipulate and destroy stars and solar activity! Plus, he's a pureblood Sith. What more can you ask?
I say Revan. He is very powerful and was actually thought to be the chosen one. Revan bested anyone he had ever faced and managed to become twice as powerful when he had been the Dark Lord. He even would have killed the Sith Emperor if he had not been distracted.
Darth Malak is by far one of the most ambitious Sith Lords, having lived in the shadow of Darth Revan for a long time. When he saw the opportunity to advance his station, he didn't hesitate to take it, even if that meant betraying his long-time accomplice. Regardless of their history, Malak was out for vengeance against Revan after Revan sliced off his jaw with his lightsaber.
It could be argued that without the help of Malak, Revan would not have been able to accomplish as much as they did. He played an essential role in locating and activating the Star Forge. His constitution and sense of determination are even a close match to Revan's. Malak's ruthless efficiency is also notable, as he significantly boosted the Star Forge's productivity before its destruction.
However, Malak's feats are challenging to consider without comparison to Revan's, proving that, even as powerful as he was, he will forever be overshadowed by his former master.
A Dark Side Force user who has trained for years with the famous Luke Skywalker cannot defeat a measly sanitation worker or scavenger who has just started to discover her sensitivity to the Force. How the hell did he not dismantle Finn instantly? Non-Force users are notoriously garbage with lightsabers, and that was the second time he had ever turned one on. Yet he managed to fight off Kylo Ren for quite a while and even managed to wound him. And Chewy easily shot him.
Kylo Ren's skill is way underrated. Though I agree he does not deserve a top 10 spot yet, and would've lost to the likes of Maul or Vader, he still deserves mention. First, the fact that he was even dueling Rey with the extreme injury that still affects him in Episode 8 simply shows that he is a very tough combatant.
Also, along with these injuries that he sustained, both Rey and Finn were very skilled in physical combat. I will admit that while he is a skilled duelist, his Force abilities far outshine his dueling abilities. Freezing bolts flying with extreme force, an ability we have never seen. He was also able to use Sith mind control on unwilling and strong-willed opponents, very nearly extracting the information from Rey. All of these feats show he is powerful, yet I still don't believe he deserves a top 10 spot yet. But, he has only been training for six years, so we shall definitely see his full power and skill in the future.
Conquered a planet with a blaster and a short-saber. Relative unknown, but generally speculated to be a peer to greats like Exar Kun and Naga Sadow. Personally, because of the lack of supporting evidence and the magnitude of their feats, I'd put him a step below.
But then again, he was a direct disciple of Sadow himself, and was responsible for destroying his master's spirit utterly. So, you weigh that against his inability to completely subjugate the Beast Riders, and... Well, it's a tough call, to say the least.
When you realize Caedus's plan all along was to bring the galaxy together to be ready for the threat of Abeloth and the Sith Empire, it's crazy. His goal was to become the mutual enemy of the entire known universe so they would band together and be ready for what was to come. He wanted everyone to come together and become more powerful so if there's a huge threat to the galaxy, he wanted them to be prepared.
He sacrificed literally everything, including his name, for everyone and the greater good. He believed in sacrificing people for the greater good. The darkness around him caused him to fall to the dark side and the guilt of killing Mara Jade.
What was that quote? The one in KOTOR 2 where the character says that the Sith of that time (Kreia, Sion, Nihilus) were merely children playing with toys compared to the ancient Lords? So, the Lord of Hunger and the Lord of Pain are considered children flaunting their toys when compared to the ancient Lords of the Sith. Tulak Hord was also Vitiate's master.
Vitiate used his own dreashade against his master and killed him. With his power intact, not even Vitiate challenged this guy, so he got his dreashade to consume Tulak's life force so that Vitiate even had a chance of killing Tulak Hord. This is all just a glimpse into what kind of Sith Tulak Hord was.
Savage Opress slew several Jedi on the planet that Darth Tyranus sent him to, as if it were a piece of cake. I think he deserves a whole birthday cake.
The only reason he died was because Darth Sidious killed him, and that's not fair because he would have become very powerful, maybe ten times as powerful as Darth Maul. He was so strong with the Force - if you recall, he was the one who killed Adi Gallia, not Darth Maul. His Force skills were unbelievable.
Not the most powerful Sith, but he held his own. If Darth Sidious had not killed him, I believe he would have become more powerful in the Force. Darth Maul had more training than he did.
Savage Opress killed at least three Jedi during the Clone Wars.
He was a Sith sorcerer and was able to resurrect the dead for an army. Plus, he removed his heart and replaced it with a Sith Crystal. Not to mention he was a Sith King.
The Inquisitor practiced the powers of the dark side and was trained in the use of a lightsaber. He wielded a rotary lightsaber, which he also used as a one-handed lightsaber, activating only one blade.
In addition to swordsmanship, he used the sword's spin to break his opponent's concentration and end the fight with minimal effort.
The Grand Inquisitor had been a temple guard before the fall of the Republic and had extensive knowledge of the archives. This made him a very skilled and intelligent opponent. The Grand Inquisitor allowed himself to die when he failed to capture Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger, knowing his punishment would be severe.